Jake scanned the id on a door nearby. Jake’s breath hitched as the automated voice echoed in the narrow corridor.

“Employee 210 authorized.”

The metallic door slid open with a faint hiss, and Jake stepped inside—only to freeze.

The ship’s exterior had been a complete deception. Inside, it was a high-tech facility.

The walls gleamed with reinforced steel. Surveillance cameras tracked every movement.

Masked soldiers, heavily armed, patrolled the hallways. Their weapons were military-grade, their armor thick.

Among them, scientists moved with precision—each wearing the same white lab coat and mask as Jake.

It was a machine of secrecy and control.

Before he could fully process the scale of the operation, something cold and heavy jabbed into his back.

“210, get to the lab and get working. Don’t slack off.”

Jake tensed. A soldier stood behind him, gun pressed firmly against his spine.

He swallowed hard and nodded.

Jake’s pulse quickened as he settled into the unoccupied workstation. The soft hum of machinery and the occasional beep of monitors filled the room.

He glanced at the screen. A simple prompt awaited him:

Enter Password.

His assigned credentials flashed in his mind. ProjectL.

His fingers hovered over the keyboard. What could “ProjectL” mean?

The lab’s state-of-the-art sonar scanners, neural interfaces, and data-processing units all pointed to one conclusion:

They weren’t just researching something.

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They were tracking something.

And if they were using this level of technology…

Had they already found it?

To fuel his curiosity, Jake logged in to his designated computer’s database and all the files were laid before his eyes. To his surprise, 32 of them were encrypted. He gave a breath of sigh and proceeded to type ProjectL into the search bar, the database showed that there were 4 files with the same name and all of them were encrypted. Jake took a glance at his watch, which was barely working due to sand entering the dial. He could barely make out the time. As soon as he was about to check the non encrypted files, an automated voice announced on the announcer that it was time for break, and all the workers were to leave the laboratory

Jake hesitated for a moment, his fingers still hovering over the keyboard. His mind raced—he was so close.

But he had no choice. If he stayed behind, it could raise suspicion.

Slowly, he logged out of the system, pushing his chair back and blending in with the rest of the employees as they filed out of the lab.

The hallways were dimly lit, with armed guards posted at every junction, their masks concealing any emotion.

Jake’s thoughts churned.

ProjectL… encrypted files… the roar at the beach…

Was this ship truly searching for something—or were they preparing for what they had already found?

During the break, Jake carefully weaved through the crowd of masked employees, keeping his head down to avoid unwanted attention. His heart pounded in his chest as he slipped away from the main corridor, heading toward the back of the hallway.

The deeper he went, the quieter it became. The hum of machinery and the occasional chatter of employees faded behind him. He turned a corner and found himself in a dimly lit corridor, longer than the last one. His eyes scanned the signs mounted above each door. Most of them were locked labs and storage rooms, but then— one caught his attention.

Meeting Hall.

Jake exhaled slowly and crept closer. The door wasn’t completely shut, leaving a small gap just wide enough to peer inside. What he saw made his blood run cold.

A round table of masked men, all clad in dark suits, sat in eerie stillness, their faces hidden behind sleek, expressionless masks. Their posture was rigid, as if they were in the presence of someone far more powerful than them.

At the far end of the room, a massive screen flickered, casting an ominous blue glow. A dark silhouette filled the screen, his features obscured by static interference.

Then, the voice spoke—low, raspy, rough, like a man who had spent years lurking in shadows.

“Phase Two will commence shortly.”

The men at the table exchanged glances but remained silent.

“The creature is responding to the signals. We have confirmation.”

Jake’s pulse spiked. Creature?

One of the men finally spoke, his voice careful. “Sir, the local disturbances have drawn some attention. If this continues, we might—”

The voice on the screen cut him off.

“Contain the situation. No loose ends.”

The room fell into a chilling silence.

Jake swallowed hard. Whatever was happening—whatever “Project L” was—it was far bigger than he had ever imagined.